Becoming Taylor Rose MW

ADRIAN JAGGARD >

CEO

Mon 1 February 2021

Adrian Jaggard, CEO, shares his thoughts on why becoming Taylor Rose MW is an important step forward in the firm's ambitious growth plans.

The acquisition of McMillan Williams Solicitors (MW Solicitors) in May 2020 was the result of Taylor Rose TTKW’s commitment to acquire a top 200 law firm before the end of the year. Set in October 2019, this was the most ambitious objective yet within our M&A programme and a continuation of our aspirational approach to growth. A key progression of our growth strategy, we were also keen to protect our balance of employed and consultant lawyers. Becoming Taylor Rose MW was the logical step in unifying our brand equity.

MW Solicitors was identified as a target due to its size, market position, strong client satisfaction levels and experienced lawyers. Taylor Rose TTKW and MW Solicitors were both consumer focussed law firms dominant in property. They complimented each other geographically and occupied similar market positions, so it made sense to bring the brands together.

Past significant investment into MW Solicitors’ case management systems had generated a market-leading capability that would benefit the combined business. Taylor Rose’s evolved corporate structure also provided a scalable framework to control risk and manage the integration of two similarly sized firms. Capabilities drawn from each business gave us the confidence to proceed, notwithstanding the fact that we were in the depths of the pandemic.

Following completion, key roles were identified, scoped and advertised as a priority. We made appointments swiftly thereafter and our new structure was then able to start the complex integration process. Our integration programme has been swift, benefitting from experience gained in past M&A and will be completed by February 2021, only ten months from completion of the original deal.

We have increased investment and personnel in IT, Finance, HR, Risk and Audit. Our monitoring and understanding of client satisfaction has been expanded across the combined business to protect our high rankings on Google, Trustpilot and Review Solicitors. All of which work towards a stronger client proposition.

We hope to protect the immense goodwill that MW Solicitors brings through adopting its name alongside that of Taylor Rose. As Taylor Rose MW our forward strategy will be a continuation of our performance to date, with an appetite for more employed and consultant lawyers working together in a constantly improving framework.

We have established ourselves as one of the larger consolidator firms, with strong business development capability and a thriving consultant solicitor programme. As we enter 2021, we have a unified market leading firm with well invested systems.

To continue our journey, we must constantly generate improving goodwill and confidence. Lawyers (as individuals or as firms through M&A) want to be a part of a successful firm with a strong reputation. Sustained growth can only occur on a foundation of substance and quality, this will attract the best lawyers and clients will follow them, whether directly or indirectly.

As market activity increases, we anticipate further mergers and acquisitions over the next year. Alongside M&A activity, we are also renewing focus on our market-leading consultant solicitor programme. As Taylor Rose MW, we will continue to take time to understand the changing market around us and respond quickly, using our strengths on complimentary opportunities. We will invest in ourselves at an increasing rate and preserve our position on the leading edge of consumer legal services and the market transition towards consultant lawyer relationships.

Adrian Jaggard is the CEO and founder of Taylor Rose MW. Taylor Rose TTKW and MW Solicitors merged in May 2020 to become a top 75 law firm with 850 experts operating out of 32 offices nationwide. If you would like to know more about Taylor Rose MW please contact info@taylor-rose.co.uk. For a list of our office locations please click here.

*Taylor Rose MW’, ‘Taylor Rose TTKW’, ‘McMillan Williams’ and ‘MW Solicitors’ are trading names of Taylor Rose TTKW Limited.

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